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Then Vs. Now: Furnaces

Do you know how much the furnace has changed over the years?

Home heating has been around for a while. It started with simple wood-burning stoves and fireplaces to today’s high-efficiency, natural gas-powered furnaces. As the years have gone by, heating technology has improved more and more. This means the furnace sitting in your basement could be extremely out-of-date if it is an older model – running inefficiently and not giving you the home comfort you’re paying for.

Efficiency isn’t even the biggest difference between new furnaces and older models. Not only are today’s furnaces held to a higher standard efficiency-wise, they contain comfort-enhancing technology that can make your home more comfortable, and do so quietly.

Here are some technology improvements that make today’s furnace’s outstanding.

Variable-speed technology. Many of today’s gas furnaces, particularly high-efficiency models, contain variable-speed blower motors. A variable-speed model can do just what the name implies – vary the speed at which the air is blown throughout your home to exactly meet your comfort demands. This leads to a better mix of air, reducing hot and cold spots.

Multiple stages of operation. Traditional furnaces have two stages, 100% capacity and off. Furnaces that can operate in multiple stages can vary firing capacity to more directly meet your homes comfort demands at a given time. This help you save money and can lead to better home comfort.

Blower delay. Want to make sure you aren’t treated to a blast of cold air as soon as your furnace kicks on? Invest in a model that features a blower delay. This assures that your ducts are warm by the time air starts moving through them.

And that’s just scratching the surface. Make sure you ask your contractor about the comfort features in addition to efficiency when you’re buying your next furnace.